Hide and Seek
by SilvermistFox
Summary: She was just an emissary from Japan. He was there cool and unwavering until she came into the picture and things became more interesting.


**Inuyasha crossover The Three Musketeers (2011)**

Hide and Seek

Her demeanor was very much so different from the many women and Ladies of the Court that he had played or fooled around with. She was here on behalf of a country far across the seas called Japan, and he found her in one of the many mazes of the Palace Gardens, just lying down on the grass uncaring of the state of her dress. Most of the Ladies, actually all of the Ladies that he had known, would never have done something like that, least of all, spoil one of their many dresses. Aramis stood at a safe distance as he watched the rise and fall of her chest. It was rare for them to have such an exotic Eastern guest, or any at all until now. There were many things that he had heard about her, and it is true that her beauty was something that lingers in your mind for a long time, leaving many things for those with an overly imaginative mind to start painting out.

"Please stop looking too hard, I'm afraid that my clothes will not disappear," the petite Asian replied from where she was as she took a few deep breaths. Aramis was stunned for a moment as he straightened up a little before clearing his throat as he came out from behind one of the many hedges that were a few rows away from where Kagome is.

"Your grasp of English milady is excellent," he told her, bowing to her with all the proper protocol as he took her hand to place a light kiss upon it. For the first time he looked into her eyes, brown that looked so deep yet looked so light and almost golden even with how the light is hitting her. Her face smooth and round, yet not as sharp as compared to most of the females in France. Her eyes, they were just so big and round, yet there was this seductive sultry like way to it, and with lips so plump that it tempted him to lean forward to steal a few quick kisses.

"I thank you for the kind compliment, however that still does not explain as to why you were hiding from view and simply just looking at me from when you first caught sight of me," she questioned, there was a silent demand to it, her eyes showed no annoyance but that of amusement instead. However he knew that could be far from the truth, having the experience with various other Ladies in the past.

"Do pardon me for my intrusion for I did not expect myself to be face to face with such an exotic beauty such as yourself," Aramis answered smoothly as though used to saying such honeyed words that it meant almost nothing to him, but instead seem to come out more as an automated reply. She was not buying it as she patiently waited for a reply, standing before him all prim and proper, and very much so comfortable in her very own skin and not at all intimidated or scared at the thought of being alone with a male who could very easily overpower her.

"If I may milady, but perhaps it is time that you returned? I'm sure that your company is being missed at the moment," he added on, as thought trying to divert away from the question that she had pose to him. A flash of annoyance crossed her eyes for a moment as he watched the petite Asian female walked away without so much as a goodbye to him.

It was not until about a few weeks later when he was upon on one of the many roofs in Paris, surveying the situation and land that he noticed there was a different type of disturbance in which he was feeling odd. As Aramis trained eyes scored the roofs, his eyes finally landed on another person lying on top of a roof without so much of a care to the world or care so much of the danger to it. What makes it even more odd was that it was a female at that, apart from Milady, he would hardly think that there would be other reckless females that would do something that would most probably cost their life.

Aramis was swift and silent as possible as he raced across the roof, taking the necessary precaution when needed as he kept his target in his eyes. And true enough, he found the one he had least expect, their country's young Eastern guest, comfortably resting atop a roof as though she was lying upon the garden's grass. This time it was she who shocked him as she sat up to looked directly into Aramis eyes, a spark of mischief in them as she got up on steady legs. Her dressing it was unheard of, especially for a Lady to wear garments normally worn by the male. He averted his eyes only shortly after noticing that he had been looking at her for too long, it was just too suggestive.

"Your guard is down," she commented and holding in her hand was one of Aramis's own pistol as she examined it, imagine the recoil of the gun as compared to where she comes from and the time period. Never was Aramis so unguarded as he tried to put together when she had managed to take his pistol away from him without his own knowledge. It was something rare, unheard of even to creep up onto him, he was after all one of the best right next to Athos and Prothos. He watched her fiddled with his pistol, lightly tossing it between hands before spinning it like was a toy of sort. She was not someone to be underestimated, just like Milady, and if anything, this royal guest is someone that he would have to carefully thread around. However he was surprised when she would so easily returned his pistol to him, as he watched with a sharper eyes this time on her every movement.

"Good night," she told him in a soft voice that was carried to his ears by the winds and then she was gone, as though vanished into thin air as Aramis tried to search out her retreating form or sorts. He looked down to the pistol in which she had given back to him, he was best by a female, and one that many know little to nothing about.

His mind were constantly distracted by the very royal guest that was often seen with the Queen and King as they discussed of things that were so mundane to things that were similar to that of war planning. The Cardinal had tried finding things on their royal guest and had more than often come up with nothing. It was odd, but he remembered when Lord Buckingham was making a surprise visit to the Cardinal, he who had the chance to encounter their royal guest, was stunned into politeness even after she had left, he was very tight lipped about her as though afraid of what might happened should he say something wrong or out of place.

Curious indeed it had made Aramis, and when they had a next encounter one night at a Ball, Aramis had found her again in the maze where they had first met as he watched her this time who stood there, basking under the moonlight. When she turned, he saw then, how ethereal she looked, as though she was some sort of mystical being. There were no words that could describe what he saw but that of a being close to an angel that had descended. Her skin was glowing it feels as her gaze looked at him strong, silent and a knowing of what he had done, all the things that he had sinned. He walked up slowly to her as though afraid that she will disappear in the blink of an eyes, his face schooled to that of a cool exterior, almost not giving away what was in his mind, but his eyes betrayed him.

"Aramis," she called out to his name for the first time after a few of their encounters. He reached out for her hand as he took it within an ungloved hand, giving it a kiss as he half knelt before rising. She seemed so much more majestic that night somehow, different from how she had continuously stun him more than once.

"Milady," he said with a bow his hat in hand as he straightened himself. The moment it felt somewhat special that is until he heard the rustling, his hand went straight to where his sword is, ready to defend, but what he had not expected to appear was Lord Buckingham, the very rogue that was no different than the Cardinal, only worse.

"How quaint this is turning out to be," Buckingham said as he walked towards them confident with his every step, but seemingly kept a respectable distance away from her. Though what does Buckingham know about respect at all. "Aramis," he finally acknowledges the Musketeer as he reached out for an offered hand of the royal guest, placing a polite kiss upon her hand before releasing it.

"My dear fair Lady Kagome, you're even more radiant than when we first met," he continued, taking a few respectable steps away from her enough to give her space to breath and not feel cluttered. Aramis eyes narrowed between the two of them as she smiled behind the hand the held the delicate fan made of ivory with very intricate carvings upon it.

"Lord Buckingham it is nice to see you again," she replied politely with a curt nod of her head rather than to curtsy to him, as most positions would dictate. And Buckingham does not seem to mind at all with the lack of proper etiquette here, especially with the lack of respect that she was showing, but behaving more like that of royalty.

"Buckingham," Aramis nearly spitted out venomously, but contained himself perfectly as his grip on his sword tightened a little before letting go as he let his hand fell to his side.

Kagome looked between the two of them, amused even as she stood there. If it were not for the fact that she was told by Sesshoumaru to not cause or stir up any trouble that she might have joined in the fun should they decide to start something. It was for peace and to maintain good relationship that she was back in France and if she were to start something, it would be a bad thing for all of them, most especially for Sesshoumaru and the House of Moon.

"Boys, behave," she told them in a voice that seemed to be indulging them in their game of ego and pride. It caused Aramis to glance at her from the side of his eyes, but kept his main focus upon Buckingham, especially knowing what threat that he poses.

"And would you behave," Buckingham almost purred it out with a knowing look in his eyes as he turned to address Kagome. Aramis was left out, feeling as though they shared something more intimate between them than what was implied.

"I do believe you called me a _feisty treat_," Kagome with a covered laugh as she once again hide behind the lovely fan that seemed to glow and reflect the moonlight. She moved forward between the two males as she indicated with a slight tilt of her head that they make a move to where they were needed before they were noticed gone.

Both of the male had offered their arm, but was instead dismissed as she walked on forth by herself, her silk red dress rustling softly as she disappeared round the corner of the maze. Both Aramis and Buckingham had at a point stopped in their walking as they turned to one another, a pair of eyes so filled with mocking and the other a pair of eyes filled with loath. They would have started fighting then had it not been for the voice of Kagome's that reached their ears that they continued on to catch up with her. It was without a doubt that Aramis was curious as to her connection to Buckingham, but with the way she carried things, the Lady Kagome was somewhat no different from Milady, or so he had thought. And it was still against what he had believed in treating the Ladies improperly, he was after all still a gentleman in many ways.

She was almost immediately whisked away by Buckingham's ever flourished actions as he lead her into one of the more popular dance known as the waltz that shocked the Court of France and left the young King fuming over what he was doing, something bold and most probably trending in London. The dance it was too intimate than most dances would be, and it is something that left many of the people attending the Ball shocked and speechless as many words spread like wild fire and soon there were others joining in to try and imitate what the pair is doing on the dance floor. It was a sinuous dance, one that could raise a man's very own desire, and how Aramis hated that it did gave him thoughts that it made him turn away only to bump into Athos.

It took little for the other Musketeer to notice what was wrong as he patted his long time friend on the back, offering his a glass of wine before moving away to let his friend be on his own. Just as Buckingham was leading the Lady Kagome back to the sidelines to continue holding onto her hand and much to his annoyance, she had not minded it one bit. He stalked towards them with all the grace of a predator as he came to stand between them both bowing slightly as he stretched out a hand towards her to request the next dance. He was in no way going to lose out to Buckingham as he lead a willing Kagome to the stage as a more upbeat tune started playing and Kagome was more than ready as she followed his lead with a smile upon her face as she danced to the thrilling tune of the music. It was odd somehow, with how she could so quickly take to the tune of the music and just flow so easily with it, but was nonetheless glad to see that she was enjoying herself as a smile made it to his face and did not left.

As he lead her down to where she was formally standing with Buckingham, Aramis made small conversation with her, trying to understand more about her as he tried to ask the right questions with the best possible discretion. The Lady Kagome was surprisingly most evasive with many of the questions that he had asked and would more than often leave him without an answer more than she did. It was almost frustrating he found it to be, but he had better patience than that and would more than often keep on engaging her in conversation, hoping to at least catch her slip-up. Kagome is an expert in her game of hide and seek, and there was still nothing in which he was able to catch her with.

Days turned to weeks and soon it was just about time for her to leave their country and sail back to where she came from. It would be a long time before they were to see one another, if not there is a high chance that they will never meet. It scared Aramis even at the thought of not being able to see Kagome, to remember those conversations in which they would have when together or even those stolen moments that they would spend together. Aramis never did get to find out more about her, the secrets in which she guards and hide so well, or even her likes and dislikes. All those he had left, were mere speculations but had more than often found himself thinking twice. He had thought that perhaps he was wrong with his hunches at many various points but Kagome continue to surprise him with even more puzzles.

The day that she left, he was given just one thing, and then she left with a light scent of a sweet exotic flower with a spicy hint of sorts. Even Milady was incomparable to her.


End file.
